Session 5: (Part A)

Analysing business case studies: SWOT

Tool we
will use

Read ,
understand,
think about the
case
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• A ‘case study text’ is a description of a real-life business situation
or life like business situation. It commonly describes aspects of
the business and includes issues that the organization is facing.
• There are different formats : it could be a text, video or audio.
• The value of a case study is that it provides an opportunity for
analyzing and interpreting business situations.
• (We are familiar with the concept and some details of the cases
above from meeting 2 ☺) { I want to open a restaurant }
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 What is analysis?
• To analyze a case study means to read or listen to the information
available and use key concepts or framework from a business
context to examine the situation that is being described in detail.
(framing the case)

• To frame the case means choosing relevant set of concepts to

approach (tackle)the case and then analysing it.
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 What is a framework?
It is a tool which has a particular purpose in a
business context.(SWOT)

Key concepts are

words or phrases which has a particular purpose in a
business context.(External environment)

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 Framing ( formulating /drawing up )The Case

How to frame the case?

By applying the framework to identify all
aspects (positive and negative)/ scope / problems / challenges/
There is a great range of business concepts and tools(frameworks) you can use to
frame a case.
The concepts and questions which are used in this session come from the analytical
framework called -- SWOT framework.
We need to understand that not all problems are caused by external factors only,
sometimes problems may be caused by internal factors.
So we need to apply the framework to identify all problems (internally and externally).

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 A SWOT analysis is a compilation (collection) of your company's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The primary
objective of a SWOT analysis is to help organizations develop a full
awareness of all the factors involved in making a business decision.

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 SWOT
• This acronym stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats.
• A SWOT analysis is a means of getting an overview of how well
an organization is functioning at a particular point in time by
categorizing the internal and external factors influencing the
business .
• S &W: Present & Past ---Internally controlled
• O& T: Present & future – Externally controlled

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 Internal factors can influence the operations of a
business both positively and negatively. The main
internal factors are corporate culture, staffing,
finance and technology.

• An external environment is composed of all the outside factors or

influences that impact the operation of business. The business
must act or react to keep up its flow of operations.

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 Where can SWOT be used?
 Work place context : SWOT can be applied to any regular
business or company you are familiar with. For example at
work, you can hold a meeting and brainstorm and list what
you think are the SWOT of your new project.

 Study (business ) context: SWOT can also be used to analyze a

written case study.

 Try to apply SWOT analysis on yourself here is the Scenario:

you are fed-up of your current job and you want to change .
(use SWOT Grid) 12
 Read, understand and learn
• Strengths are the distinctive qualities, resources or reputation of a
business which gives it an advantage over its competitors. They
represent company`s greatest weapon. Strengths include a strong
brand, loyal customer base, a strong balance sheet, unique technology.

• Weaknesses stop an organization from performing at its best level. They

are areas where the business needs to improve to remain competitive:
Weaknesses include a weak brand, higher-than-average turnover, high
levels of debt, an inadequate supply chain, or lack of capital.

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 Read, understand and learn
• Opportunities refer to potential positive chances available in the external
environment like breaking new ground , developing products and services or
expanding scale of operation in order to gain more customers. For example, if a
country cuts tariffs, a car manufacturer can export its cars into a new market,
increasing sales and market share.

• Threats refer to factors that have the potential to harm an organization. For

example, a drought is a threat to a wheat-producing company, as it may destroy or
reduce the crop yield. Other common threats include things like rising costs for
materials, increasing competition, tight labor supply and so on.
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Some more details on SWOT factors

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SWOT---some more details

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• https://youtu.be/pUTZ6NOWeYs Netflix

• https://youtu.be/mR9eICQJLXA - Starbucks

• https://youtu.be/EJ4uVsSqQ9k ( listen carefully)

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Before we write the analytical essay we complete a SWOT Table
/ Matrix

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 Online class discussion : Read and decide which category of the SWOT factors (case 3)

 Colgate has an extensive range of products including both oral hygiene and personal care.

 Colgate hasn’t expanded its distribution to all the markets. WEAKNESS (urban) x Rural

 Counterfeit (fake) products are harming the goodwill of the company in the market. E Th

 Colgate can switch to better advertising methods.

 If the cost of raw material increases, it will result in increase in the price of Colgate.

 Colgate prices its products relatively higher than its competitors.

 Colgate has a renowned goodwill and market visibility .

 Colgate could expand its product categories to more diverse lines such as fabric care .
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 Colgate --Answers
 Colgate has an extensive range of products including both oral hygiene and personal care. s

 Colgate hasn’t expanded its distribution to all the markets. w

 Counterfeit products are harming the goodwill of the company in the market. t

 Colgate can switch to better advertising methods. O

 If the cost of raw material increases, it will result in increase in the price of Colgate. t

 Colgate prices its products relatively higher than its competitors. w

 Colgate has a renowned goodwill and market visibility . S

 Colgate could expand its product categories to more diverse lines such as fabric care . O

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 Online class ---Read --- discuss and decide the SWOT factors (case 4)
SKECHERS
• High level of customer satisfaction – the company with its dedicated customer relationship management department has been able
to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction among present customers and good brand equity among the potential customers.--
• Successful track record of developing new products – product innovation.
• Limited success outside core business – Even though Skechers U.S.A. is one of the leading organizations in its industry it has faced
challenges in moving to other product segments with its present culture.
• Investment in Research and Development is below the requirement.
• New trends in the consumer behavior can open up new market for the Skechers U.S.A. . It provides a great opportunity for the
organization to build new revenue streams and diversify into new product categories too.
• New customers from online channel – Over the past few years the company has invested vast sum of money into the online
platform. This investment has opened new sales channel for Skechers U.S.A.. In the next few years the company can leverage this
opportunity by knowing its customer better and serving their needs using big data analytics.
• As the company is operating in numerous countries it is exposed to currency fluctuations especially given the volatile political
climate in number of markets across the world.
• Rising raw material cost can pose a threat to the Skechers U.S.A. profitability.
• Shortage of skilled workforce in certain global market represents a threat to steady growth of profits for Skechers U.S.A.   in those
markets. (adapted: http://fernfortuniversity.com/term-papers/swot/1433/695-skechers-u-s-a-.php)
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 SKECHERS

• High level of customer satisfaction – the company with its dedicated customer relationship management department has able
to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction among present customers and good brand equity among the potential
customers.--S
• Successful track record of developing new products – product innovation. S 
• Limited success outside core business – Even though Skechers U.S.A. is one of the leading organizations in its industry it has
faced challenges in moving to other product segments with its present culture. W
• Investment in Research and Development is below the requirement W
• New trends in the consumer behavior can open up new market for the Skechers U.S.A. . It provides a great opportunity for the
organization to build new revenue streams and diversify into new product categories too. O
• New customers from online channel – Over the past few years the company has invested vast sum of money into the online
platform. This investment has opened new sales channel for Skechers U.S.A.. In the next few years the company can leverage
this opportunity by knowing its customer better and serving their needs using big data analytics. O
• As the company is operating in numerous countries it is exposed to currency fluctuations especially given the volatile political
climate in number of markets across the world. T.
• Rising raw material can pose a threat to the Skechers U.S.A. profitability. T
• Shortage of skilled workforce in certain global market represents a threat to steady growth of profits for Skechers U.S.A.   in
those markets. T 23
 Case 5

• One of Kit Kat’s primary competitive advantages is its unique product. The chocolate-covered wafer is one of its kinds. It is a popular name among the young and old and is loved by many around the world.

• KitKat has excellent advertising and visibility, the simple yet visible slogan “Have a break, have a Kit Kat” creates brand awareness.
 
• Food products have a limited shelf life.
 
• Since the world is moving towards a more health-conscious society Kit Kat can introduce healthier options like low-calorie chocolate bars.
 
• There are other branded and local chocolate manufacturers.
 
• Since Kit Kats are made of wafers, it breaks easily, so a lot of times, the consumer receives a broken chocolate Kit Kat bar. This leads to dissatisfied customers, thus, a decrease in sales.
 
• Due to the rising costs of raw materials like dairy, packaging, and fuels, it is nearly impossible for Kit Kat to keep its low prices.
 
• Kit Kat has been known for its weak implementation of corporate social responsibility programs and, thus, received a lot of criticism for this.
 
• With the development of digital technology, consumers can be more connected to the company and the products that will be introduced in the company’s social media accounts.
 
• KitKat is known for good product distribution and availability that is found in almost all the big cities .
 
• KitKat, Gerber, Starbucks and Nesquik share the brand ownership with Nestle. This brand name has a great influence on KitKat.
 
• KitKat can enter new markets in the untapped rural markets. .
 
• Many people now prefer sweets made of honey as substitute for a chocolate wafer.

• KitKat follows international franchising models and the company heavily depends on the franchises which work independently; they have no control over their day to day performance which negatively affects
the brand directly.

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 Online class discussion -Read –do the matrix -case 6

• Costa Coffee, founded in London in 1971, is a British multinational coffeehouse company. Costa Coffee is the second
largest coffee chain in the world and has overseas operations in 32 countries. However there is a big gap between
Starbucks the 1st ranked in the coffee industry vs the second ranker. Starbucks, found in 70 countries has 24,000-
outlets across the world whereas Costa Coffee is not more than 5000 outlets. Costa expansion is slow. Costa coffee
is sold at higher prices compared to Starbucks and this has a negative effect in the consumer mindset especially in
developing economies. Costa Coffee does not spend a huge amount on Marketing and Advertising for the brand
which also has a huge negative impact on the brand. In spite of the high price coffee lovers know Costa for its
excellent taste of coffee. Also, the bowl-sized mugs have become a signature of the Costa brand and coffee lovers
like their coffee only in such bowls! Starbucks is known for being smart in its pull strategies and utilizes various
means to attract customers to its coffee shops. Similarly, Costa coffee needs to execute pull strategies and use
innovative means to attract the young crowd to the coffee shop. In September 2017, Costa was the first coffee shop
worldwide to start delivering coffee via drones to customers in Dubai beaches. Costa has good chances of strategic
alliance as there are many restaurant chains across the US and UK and other developed nations where Costa Coffee
can set up planned partnership and deliver its own coffee to these restaurants customers. There are many regional
players and regional factors in the sale of coffee. In the Middle East people prefer Arabic coffee and in India Seven
Beans offer seven unique blends with Arabica and Robusta beans which is one main source of regional danger to
Costa.
• ( adapted: https://research-methodology.net/costa-coffee-swot-analysis/)-
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 Read –complete the table –case 7

Samsung is a South Korean multinational company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul. Samsung was
founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company. Soon the group diversified into areas including food
processing, textiles, insurance etc. Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 1960s and the
construction and shipbuilding industries in the mid-1970s.
Today Samsung enjoys the widest range of product portfolio which includes Mobile phone, Tablet,
TV/Audio/Video, Camera, camcorder, Home appliance, pc, peripherals, printer, memory cards and other
accessories, it holds significant market share in most of the product categories. Samsung is the best in terms
of design features and technology. It was the first to introduce dual screen mobiles, the world’s smallest
MP3 player and the first 17” TFT-LCD-TV monitor. Unfortunately the demand for LCD panels is on a decline.
Even though Samsung is a hardware leader it has too much of dependence for software from other parties.
With a strong leadership goal, Samsung is planning to make the air-condition product category more strong
with unique technology called ‘Triple protection proposition’ which will be more eco-friendly. Also, it has
future plans of launching Customized products for markets according to the market needs. Threats come from
Chinese products which are cheaper and fast moving. Further, the online stores concept of other brands which
sell a wide range of electronic products are giving better deals as they don’t incur cost in distribution channel.
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Complete the TABLE / MATRIX –

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 SWOT -6
Paragraph
Essay

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When writing essays, we paraphrase. Sometimes we summarize information ,
but to summarize and paraphrase is not the same.

• What is paraphrasing ?
• Paraphrasing is presenting ideas and information in your own words and acknowledging where they come
from. By using your own words, you demonstrate your understanding and your ability to convey this
information.

• What is Summarizing?
• Summarizing is selecting the relevant key information from an original source and condensing the
information by using the writer's own words (paraphrasing).

• Paraphrasing is slightly different than summarizing. When you summarize a passage, you focus on restating
only the main idea in your own words. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, aims to provide most of the
information in a slightly condensed form. Summaries are much shorter than the original passage.

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SUMMARIZE

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Original sentence: Symptoms of influenza include fever and nasal
congestion.
Paraphrase: A stuffy nose and higher temperature are signs you may
have the flu.
• Original: Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result
they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of
your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should
strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes.
• Paraphrase: In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep
quoted material down to a desirable level, or less than 10% of the paper. Since the
problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material
recorded verbatim.
• (Source: Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/ ) 31
Original Passage I: Height connotes status in many parts of the world. Executive offices are usually on the top floors; the underlings
work below. Even being tall can help a person succeed. Studies have shown that employers are more willing to hire men over 6 feet tall
than shorter men with the same credentials. Studies of real-world executives and graduates have shown that taller men make more
money. In one study, every extra inch of height brought in an extra $1,300 a year. But being too big can be a disadvantage. A tall,
brawny football player complained that people found him intimidating off the field and assumed he "had the brains of a Twinkie." (p.
301) ---Locker, K. O. (2003). Business and administrative communication (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Irwin/McGraw-Hill.

Let’s first identify the main points in the original passage. Topic sentence: “Height connotes status in many parts of the world.” Main
point: “Even being tall can help a person succeed.” Main point: “Executive offices are usually on the top” Main point: “being too big can
be a disadvantage”

Summary :
Though height may connote slowness to some people, in the business
world, it is almost universally associated with success. For example,
taller men are more likely to be hired and to have greater salaries.
Further, those in top positions within a company are more likely to work
on the top floors of office buildings (Locker, 2003)
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 Referencing :
To include a detailed information about all the sources used in a
text.

• Referencing is an important part of academic studies generally and is especially important in essay and
report writing at university. References are commonly used in assignments, including business reports.
Referencing include acknowledging the source of ideas or information, giving examples of studies that
support a particular approach or opinion and directing the reader to where more information can be found.
• There are three main reasons for listing references.
•References demonstrate you have read widely on the topic.
•The argument in your essay or report becomes more convincing if you support it by using evidence from
other people’s research.
•References allow others to check sources and their validity and authenticity. This also helps them to find out
more about the topic beyond your work.

{NOT REFERENCING MEANS PLAGIARIZING and can lead to getting a ZERO} 😢

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 Read the case, draw and complete the SWOT Matrix/ table. Write an analytical essay.

• Colgate is a popular product brand name in all homes. It is not only for oral hygiene but
it has a range of products for personal care as well. Colgate being the household name
has high brand recall & visibility. With extensive distribution network it has reached all
urban markets. Product categories include oral care, personal care, household surface
but fabric care and pet nutrition is missing across the product categories. In spite of this
the brand’s toothpaste category is only highly successful. Through word of mouth,
doctor's prescriptions and advertisements people need to be made aware about the
optimum usage so that these products are used better in the market Unfortunately
majority of its properties have been on rent basis resulting into high cost of operations
due to which its profits are decreasing. Due to high cost of operations, Colgate products
are also priced higher than the rivals. Increasing price of raw material will result in
further increase in the price of Colgate. Counterfeit products are also destroying its
brand image in the market. (adapted: https://www.marketing91.com)
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 6 paragraph essay
Introduction, 4 body paragraphs and Conclusion

• Introduction :
• The thesis is the main idea, your opinion or stance. The thesis
statement controls and directs everything you say in the paper. It
should include the words from the question, the key topics in the
main body and your stance (opinion).
{ Next 2 slides include general ideas and examples of how to write a
thesis statement}
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 Colgate is a well known brand name found in many homes. It is a brand with a broad
product line. This essay aims to analyse the internal and external business environment of
Colgate, using the SWOT framework and provide recommendations for future actions.

Colgate’s strengths are many. Strengths are the distinctive qualities, resources or
reputation of a business which gives it an advantage over its competitors. They represent
company`s greatest weapon. Strengths include a strong brand, loyal customer base etc.
Firstly, when buying oral products consumers recollect the name Colgate instantly and the
brand has a good image in their minds. Further, the brand with its extensive (broad )
product line has expanded to all the metropolitan markets. The toothpaste is a highly
successful product that is liked by all.
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 Although Colgate has many strengths, it also has some weaknesses. Weaknesses stop
an organization from performing at its best level. They are areas where the business needs
to improve to remain competitive: Weaknesses include a weak brand, higher-than-average
turnover etc. Though Colgate has a wide range of products including oral care, personal
care, household surface , the but fabric care and pet nutrition is missing. and in spite of this
the Though there are so many products in the oral care, only the brand’s toothpaste is only
- highly successful. Also, although, Colgate is found in all the cities it is not available in the
rural market. Another weakness is that all its properties are rent based which costs Colgate
heavily and affects its profit. Further, Colgate does not advertise sufficiently which can have
a negative impact on the popularity of all its products.

Even though, Colgate has some weaknesses there are opportunities too.
Opportunities are chances available in the external environment like expanding the
market or the product line to gain more customers. Colgate can expand its product
line and introduce fabric care and pet nutrition. Also, it can reach its products to the
rural markets where it can find many customers. 39
 Colgate must consider the threats that come to it from the external environment. Threats are
those factors that can harm the business. Colgate’s increasing price of raw material will also result in
increase in the manufacturing price price of Colgate. It can help itself by producing its own raw
material to manufacture different Colgate products. Also, Colgate is threatened by fake products with
replicas of both label and name which is destroying its image in the market. The research and
development team of Colgate must come up with solutions to this problem of counterfeit products.

In conclusion, the essay has analyzed the internal and external environment of
Colgate using the SWOT framework. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats have been identified and discussed. It is recommended that Colgate must invest
in their advertisements for wider range of customers and also expand its market and
reach the rural areas all over the globe. This way Colgate can increase both customers
and profit.

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 HW –
An example of this kind of analysis, Book 2 Pg.54,55,56,& 57.

1-Open-- Book 2 p.58 SWOT analysis of Brompton

Bicycle
Look for SWOT Factors &and write them in the
SWOT Grid
 r 2 :
p te
Ch a s i s
k 2 n a l y
B o o T a
n g : W O
ri ti l ’s S
ay w h a e
Es s M i c
2.2 :
 Important Activities :To be done by students

• Online book: Activity 5.4-5.8- 5.10-5.13- 5.14

• Book 2 Chapter2 :
2.1 Fat Face Case study SWOT analysis
2.2: Michael’s SWOT analysis

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